Signal



Aug. 3 1926. 1,594,464

E. o. LIGHTNER SIGNAL Filed Nov. 29, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenfor:

Eigene 0 L W/nner,

Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES EUGENE O. LIGHTN EB, OI WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0! COLUMBIA.

SIGNAL.

Application fled Rovcmber 2a, 1921. Serialno. 518,727.

My present invention relates to an elec-' trical signal device which isadapted to various uses, such as with vehicles, where a predeterminedaction on the art of the driver of the vehicle is desire to becommunicated to a following or approaching driver or pedestrian. Thisdevice is also admirably adapted for use as an automatic trafiic signalwhich could be operated from either a booth remotefrom the signalproper, or in proximity thereto. Another use of the device is as anadvertising medium in store windows or outside.

While I have chosen a vehicle signal as the embodiment of my inventionbest adapted for illustration, it is understood that I do not wish to belimited thereto as obviously the principle described herein can beadapted to var1ed uses other than a vehicle signal.

The primary object of my invention is to supply a device of thecharacter described which will indicate all the necessary' signals andyet be as compact as possible and with the-minimum number of movingparts.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device which will beautomatic in its action, as far as possible, thus eliminating thenecessit for predetermined thought on the part of the vehicle operator,although readily adaptable to manual control.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means whereby asingle word may be, by a certain construction, transformed automaticallyinto another, or a series of' different words.

To this end 1n invention consists in a suitable housing aving atransparent or translucent face and carrying within the housing a seriesof lighting mediums operable in any desired manner and having meansbetween the lighting medium and the transparent or translucent face forcasting shadows upon the said face whereby certain words or symbols maybe'made visible through the transparent face. I

In the accompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of oneparticular form of my device, as obviously many from ma be desi edaccording to the needs of eac articu ar case, I have shown asatisfactory orm which may be readily applied to any automobile.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the signa Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view through the center of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a satisfactory combination of automaticand manually controlled switches for completing the circuits to thelamps.

Fig. 4-is a diagrammatic view of a menu-- ally controlled switc'h' morein detail than Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the switch of Fig. 4 with the cover removed.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the switch of Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numeralsrefer to -like parts throughout the several views, I

have shown a casin or housing 1 of any desired material or ape, carryinga transparent or translucent medium 2 such as ground glass. Insertablewithin the casing 1, I .have provided a stencil 4 having a series ofletters 5, symbols 6, and aperture 7 therein. Suitably mounted upon thestencil are partitions 8 dividing the letters 5 and symbols 6 intocertain groups.

A plate 10 is provided having aplurality of openings therein into whichare suitably secured lamp sockets 12 provided withelectrical connections13. Lamps 14 are adapted to be insertable within the sockets 12, theplate and its associated parts adapted to be held in proximity tostencil 4, the artitions 8 abutting the plate 10, thus hol in the samein spaced relation to the stenci Stencil 4 may carry a projection 15adapted to ride in slot 15 in the plate to properly place the lamps inrelation to the letters, symbols and aperture on the stencil.

Casing lis provided with a cover 16 having therein an a" rture 17through which I may lead off t e wires for the electrical circuitalthough this is merely shown for convenience. Cover 16 may havesuitably secured to its inner face s ring members 18 adapted to bearagainst t e rear portion of plate 10 which will securely hold the partsin their desired relation and prevent In the form of device illustrated,have utilized six electric light bulbs arranged in a certain series inorder-to give the varied signal effects. I have also found that a verysatisfactory combination of letters are those which spell the wordStorn. It will be noticed in Fig. 1 that one of the partitions referredto extends between the upper part of the R and the N taking aright-angular turn towards the long vertical portion of the R, thenextending downwardly alongside the same which has the effect ofeliminating the short foot of the R and the entire N when lamps A arelighted. The horizontal partitions above and below the letters preventthe light from these lamps reaching the symbols above or the aperturebelow the letters.

Another partition extends between the horizontal partitions and alsobetween the S and theT thereby cutting off the light from the letter Swhen the lamps B are lighted. A similar artition shown at X between theupper vertical portions of the 0 allows light from the lamps A to passbeneath this partition, thereby completely lighting the letter 0 whilecutting off light from lamps B which has the effect of transforming theO to a U.

Above the horizontal partitions is situated lamps C and D separated by avertical partition, each lamp lighting one of the symbols, the partitionpreventing light from that lam from reaching the opposite symbol.

It will thus be seen that by lighting the lamps A the word Stop isflashed and by lighting lamps B the word Turn is illuminated witheithera right or left arrow as lamps D or G are included in this lattercircuit.

Figure 3 shows diagrammatically a satisfactory wiring which will now bedescribed more in detail. The foot brake pedal of an automobile isdiagrammatically shown at 20, having an arm 21 extending through theusual floor board 22, and being provided with a lug 23 hearingtransversely upon a vacuum tube 24 which is pivotally spring hinged asat 25 to the floor board 22, the tube 24 assuming a substantiallyvertical position when the foot brake is not in use. Tube 24 is providedwith two electrodes at each end which are out of contact with eachother. A proper amount of mercury is placed within the tube and upontilting of the tube the mercury will close the circuit of either set ofelectrodes but never both.

Assuming that the brake pedal is not in use and the spring pivot 25forces the tube 24 to a substantially vertical position, thereby closingthe circuit between electrodes 26 and 27. This closing of the circuitconnects the battery through wires 30 and 31 to terminal 32 on amanually controlled switch located in any position convenient to thevehicle operator. When handle 33 of the switch member is thrown eitherto the right or the left a complete circuit is made to either lamps Band C through their respective wires, or B and D through their wires,which has the effect of lightning Turn with either the right or leftarrow. If, however, it is found necessary to stop the vehicle, theservice brake foot edal is naturally depressed thereby causing mercurytube 24 to lower the end opposite the pivot, which breaks the Turncircuit and causes electrodes 28 and 29 to be closed, thereby connectingthe battery to Stop signal or lamps A. It will be noticed that the wordStop is flashed automatically regardless of the position of the manuallycontrolled Turn switch, and that if the handle 33 is contacting witheither C or D circuits and the brake pedal is depressed to flash Stop,upon the brake pedal assuming its normal position Turn will again beflashed with either the right or left arrow as before. It will bereadily apparent that it is not possible to illuminate both Stop andTurn at one time.

I have shown a diagrammatic circuit in which both the words Stop andTurn are manually controlled by a switch located convenient totheoperator. This switch is shown to consist of a housing 34 suitablysecured to an insulated base 35 upon which is mounted an operatinghandle 36 secured to a spring member 37 which is in turn pivotallymounted on base 35 as by screw 38. Terminals 39 are positioned on eachside of the member 37 being electricallv connected together. Additionalterminals and 41 insulated from each other, are provided in line withterminals 38 and 39. so that when the handle 36 is moved to eitherextreme right or extreme left position. an electrical contact will bemade between terminals 38, 39. 41 or 38. 39. 40. respectively. Terminal38 is connected by wire 38 to a battery 42. terminal 39 by wire 39 tolamps B or the lamps illuminating the wordTurn. terminal 40 by wire 40"to lamp C or left arrow. and terminal 41 by wire 41' to lamp D or rightarrow. The terminals 39. 40. and 41 are preferably of a form which willextend upwardly from base 35 and then toward member 37. having adepending portion at the end thereof slightlv below the upper plane ofmember 37. With such a construction the resilient nature of member 37will normally cause this part to contact with both terminals 39 and 40or 39 and 41 as the lever is swung to either left or right positionrespectively. A member 42 situated above the resilient member 37 andheld in place by screws 43 embedded in the insulated base 35 is utilizedto lock member 37 in neutral or extreme right or left positions.

An additional contact 44 is provided heneath the member 37 of an extremelength equal to the arc formed by the extreme right no and left movementof member 37, and electrically connected b wire 44 to lamps A right orleft position will illuminate Turn' with the right or left arrowrespectively; when the lever occupies a space midway between thesetwopositions no illumination of the lamps is caused, thereby creating a'neutral zone; and yet capable in any of these or any other positions ofinstantly illuminating the word Stop by mere depression of the handle36.

It will be obvious that I have devised a signal in which I secure twowords in the space of one, thereby allowing the letters of each word tobe of a substantial size and yet keeps the device of a compact form.Various changes and modifications may be made in this device withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention as various combinationsof-words or letters will occur to those skilled in this art, and Itherefore do may be made of 0010 I a suitable color such not wish to belimited to the letters S-T-O-R-N, or to the construction shown.

arious manufacturers may desire to change the configuration of thedevice or to have the letters and symbols blown into the glass insteadof utilizing a stencil, such glass to be of amagnifying nature in orderthat the signal may be readily observed in the sunlight, and colored ifdesired. Also various types of switches may beu-tilized to actuate thedevice, and I do not wish to be limited to the mercury or manuallycontrolled switch shown which is merely illustrated for convenience inshowing an operative device. It may be found desirable to have both Stopand Turn made automatic, and it will be apparent that as both anautomatic and a manually controlled switch is illustrated, I do not wishto be limited to either t pe.

If desired the am glass or may be dyed as red and the lamps silluminating Stop illuminating Turn and the arrows treated likewise withsuch a color as green which would more strikingly display the signal andmake the predetermined action on the part of the ehicle operatorinstantly apparent, although if color alone resides in the glam, thewords Stop and Turn must of necessity be displayed in only one color, asseveral letters are common to each word.

It may be found desirable to incorporate the ordinary tail light intothis fixture which could readily be done, as this light would becontrolled from the usual dash switch, and be displayed through aperture7 in the device provided for this purpose.

I claim:

1. A signal device adapted to display indicia, including a plurality ofletters, lighting means to illuminate certain complete letters and apart of another, means to prevent illumination of certain of saidletters by this lighting means, and additional means to illuminate thatpart of the indicia not illuminated by the first mentioned lightingmeans.

2. A signal device adapted to display a letter or the like, lightingmeans to illuminate the entire letter, and additional lighting means toilluminate a part of the letter, thereby forming another letter, andmeans to prevent light from the second lighting means from illuminatingthat part of the original letter dissimilar tothe new letter.

3. A signal device adapted to display the Word Storn, lighting means toilluminate that part of the word formed by the letters STO and that partof the letter R which is similar to the letter P, means to preventillumination by this lighting means of the letter N, and that part ofthe letter R dissimilar to the letter P, and additional lighting meansto illuminate the letters TRN and that part of the letter 0 similar tothe letter U, and means to prevent illumination by this lighting meansof the letter S and that partPof the letter O dissimilar to the letter4. In an electric signal, a case provided with a series of pockets ofirregular shape, a lamp in each pocket, and a stencil letter platecovering the pockets, said plate having letter-forming openings and someof the openings for different letters registering with a single pocket.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EUGENE o. LIGHTNER.

